At least six Iraqis were killed and five more were wounded in violence
that rattled the start of Ramadan. Another seven Iraqis were killed in
Damasus, Syria. Meanwhile, the tense border situation is making the journey
home for returning Iraqis more chaotic and dangerous.

Fighting between the Free Syrian Army and Syrian forces continued
in Abu-Kamal today. Explosions could be heard
easily from Iraqi territory. Security forces in Iraq were able to discuss the
tense situation with the Syrian rebels, who agreed
to keep the fighting away from the border. A government spokesman said
this is the only border crossing currently in the hands of rebels.

The Anbar Provincial Council reported
the return of hundreds of Iraq families through the border into Anbar. They
will assist other government agencies and the Red Crescent in helping relocate
the refugees to their hometowns. Other refugees were able to fly
back to Iraq, bypassing the restive border area completely. One estimate
placed the number of returning Iraqis at around 30,000.

Only refugees holding Iraqi passports were permitted
through the crossing as the Iraqi government feels it cannot
provide adequate services to the Syrian refugees. Another factor may be the
belief that Sunni insurgents could benefit from the chaos and slip into Iraq.